Pepperony Month
by Genkai-chan
Summary: 30 Days of Pepperony Prompts from my tumblr to my fanfiction. Each day will be a certain theme and will be updated daily. If you'd like me to continue, submit prompts or ideas of your own. Each must be a one shot, unless I decide to run with the idea in a new way. Day nine has a deleted scene from Iron Man 2 where the party has ended but Pepper comes back and Tony pushes her away.
1. Day 1

**A/n:** I've made my own Pepperony Month Challenge on tumblr and I've decided to share with everyone here. Each chapter will be based on a prompt for the day. Any prompt can be a long story, a poem, a drabble, whatever.

**Chapter One:** First Impressions Hit Hard

**Day One Prompt:** First Encounter (How/When did Pepper and Tony first meet one another)

**Word Cont:** 322

**Rating:** G

When he first laid eyes on her, everything hit him at once. Her hair, her hips, her eyes, her lips, her legs, her smile, everything. Tony was dressed in wrinkled jeans and an equally wrinkled dress shirt. Clearly interviews weren't his thing, nor was dressing himself. In his mind, the only one to impress was him, so why should he have to get dressed up to look over resumes and talk to people? Pepper Potts was very composed, wearing a stylish black blazer, skirt and blue blouse buttoned up except for the first two, which revealed a string of pearls, probably a gift from an elderly relative. And she smelled of peaches, her lightly colored hair curled and laced over her small shoulders. They shook hands and began to talk but somehow Tony couldn't stop staring at her, her voice was wonderful, graceful but held a subtle fire. He already knew she would be the one.

When she first laid eyes on him, everything hit her at once. His smile, his facial hair, his eyes, his face, his toned body, his hands, his aura, everything. She of course had dressed herself up nicely for the nine o'clock interview but she couldn't help but wonder if this would be the right fit for her. Clearly Tony Stark needed a lot of help but was she in over her head? She had just gotten out of college and now she was applying for an exclusive job. Tony was smart, not too much older than her but quite smarter in other areas. Something was alluring however, something was stopping Pepper from turning right around and seeing herself out. What was it about the man that made her want to stay? The interview was brief, something was on his mind, she could tell. By the end of it, both parties seemed quite thoughtful of the other. She had no idea what she was getting herself into.


	2. Day 2

**A/n:** I've made my own Pepperony Month Challenge on tumblr and I've decided to share with everyone here. Each chapter will be based on a prompt for the day. Any prompt can be a long story, a poem, a drabble, whatever.

**Chapter Two:** Liquid Love inside a Steamy Cup

**Day Two Prompt:** Addictions (Tony's coffee, Pepper's phone, Tony's drinking, etc)

**Word Cont:** 300

**Rating:** G

While machines took gasoline and other means of ignition, he took coffee. And he took it black, without any cream or sugar. He loved coffee, the taste wasn't the best but it was one you could get used to over time. What he loved most about it was that it got him through many long bouts of work, he didn't need to sleep, all he could do was work. Coffee helped that. And Pepper was of course his dealer of sorts because she knew where he liked to get coffee because not just any place would do for him. Tony wasn't a coffee connoisseur by any means, but he knew what he liked and he stuck to that. So when he had been working through the night and looked up to see Pepper with coffee, it made all the difference in the world.

While Tony had his coffee, Pepper had her tea. She loved it. She enjoyed it in lieu of coffee but didn't mind either one. When she first started working she drank copious amounts of coffee but soon realized her breath and teeth were paying a price which was when she slowly switched to tea. The kinds she enjoyed were usually green tea or white tea. She enjoyed her tea the opposite of Tony, with lots of sugar and milk. It was perhaps how she coped with her allergy to sweet strawberries, by drinking sweet tea. Of course by now she knew which kinds to avoid and which ones to hoard. Sadly Tony always made a face when she drank tea, it was as if both were in competition with their own fluid cravings. Pepper didn't care though, because she had no issues having a cup of coffee with him when he asked.


	3. Day 3

**A/n:** I've made my own Pepperony Month Challenge on tumblr and I've decided to share with everyone here. Each chapter will be based on a prompt for the day. Any prompt can be a long story, a poem, a drabble, whatever.

**Chapter Three: **Heels, Chinese Food and Flying Around (betting always ends up this way)**  
**

**Day Three Prompt:** Dressing up (Pepper picking out Tony's clothes or something related to Halloween)

**Word Cont:** 1419

**Rating:** PG

"You don't know what it's like doing what I do."

"And you have no idea how hard is to be me."

"It's not that hard being you, you suit up and fly off and leave me to do everything in heels and a short skirt, looking nice and presentable as always."

"That suit isn't exactly comfortable you know. I know I make it look easy but believe me Pepper, it's not easy. I'm not as perfect as you!" Tony waved his arms as if trying to see through all of the perfect glitter around Pepper who just twisted her lips at him as if tasting something sour.

"I'm not perfect." Pepper assured him. "But I have to be for you."

"Really? Fine, I bet I can be a better you than you. Maybe then you can get off my back…"

"And I'll be you, not that hard I'm sure." Pepper retorted. And that's what started it. That argument started the endeavor for Pepper and Tony to put the other in their own shoes. Pepper and Tony had got into the spat when Pepper had been running uncharacteristically late that morning and Tony happened to comment about it to which Pepper pointed out he was always the one running late and that she needed to be cut some slack because her heels were uncomfortable. That of course made Stark retort that his job wasn't at all easy and thus the whole thing ended up with both parties wanting more respect and that would only be given if they could prove the other that their own life was harder.

Pepper had come over the next day her usual attire but had a bag and presented it to the engineer. He opened it and saw a skirt, blazer, blouse, heels, tights and other things. "What's this? Change of clothes?"

"That's for you."

"You've got to be kidding." Tony laughed and handed it back to her but she shook her head.

"I'm not kidding, you see what it's like to be me for just 12 hours and I'll be you. It was our deal, remember?" Pepper smiled as she let her hair down from its ponytail and sat down. "So you can get me some coffee while you go change upstairs Tony." She said simply.

"Alright…fine." Not being one to back down, the male growled slightly and headed up, leaving the woman in his workshop while he would play along. There was no way that he would let her win and give her eternal gloating rights. How bad could it go? He got down some jeans and a shirt for her to wear and then his coffee and changed. The changing took a lot of time and grunting on Tony's part. The skirt actually didn't look half bad. Now the heels, the crux of their spat were another matter. They were pointy and stiff and very uncomfortable. Had Pepper gotten them specifically to torture him? Why would women wear such things? It was horrible. But of course Stark couldn't tell her that. No, never.

So he did his best to strut down the endless, so it seemed, stairs with her coffee and new clothes in hand. "Oh stop right there." Pepper grinned as he entered the code and stood in front of her. There, her boyfriend and surely insane man, stood in black heels, black tight pencil skirt, blazer and white frilly blouse. Of course he had on the tights as well and she could tell he was very uncomfortable. She couldn't help but start laughing. "Oh JARVIS, you are recording this aren't you?" She asked between laughs.

"Yes ma'am I am." The AI replied.

"Thanks for the coffee, sexy." Pepper took said drink from Tony and looked to the casual clothes he handed her. "Mmm how lovely. Jeans beat heels any day." Pepper said and headed off the change while Tony hurried to sit down on the stool by his work bench. After Pepper had left, he removed the heels and massaged his sore feet.

"Damn it JARVIS…"

"Sir, don't you think it's time to let Pepper try on your suit?"

"She does seem serious about this bet." Tony considered. So when she came back looking very casual and relaxed, Tony had slipped his shoes back on and had gotten the Mark II set up for her to try on. It would have more space for her and he didn't want her ruining any of his more current models. Pepper suited up and stood there in the heavy armor. "So?" He asked her. "It's kind of cool."

"Yeah I know." He said dreamily, somewhat distracted by his woman in his suit. It was pretty sexy.

"So what? You're convinced my life is harder?"

"Because of shoes?!" He raised a brow. "Oh hell no, Pepper. We're just getting started here." He was not about to let her win and thus prove him wrong. He had a plan though. He moved over to her and showed her how to fly the suit and JARVIS would also assist with piloting the suit. Then he let her head out on her own for a test run to see if she still thought it was so easy and so cool. And it only took Pepper two minutes to realize she wasn't Iron Man, and she couldn't be Iron Man. Using the machine wasn't easy at all and Pepper liked control and she felt like she didn't have any within the machine. So she came back but just shrugged it off.

Both people were determined not to face the fact that they both needed to be cut some slack.

And when the 12 hours were over, Tony and Pepper ordered Chinese take out and sat on the roof of his mansion. "Okay I'll admit…that those heels really sucked." Tony said to her. "But the lipstick wasn't back." He laughed and laid back on the blanket. Pepper looked to him and rested back into his arms, both people were now dressed in light night attire. For Tony is was boxers and a white tank top. And for the lovely Potts, it was a soft cotton white nightgown that reached her knees. The night was warm and the sky was perfectly cloudless with a hint of soy sauce in the air to romance the pair.

"And I'll admit that the suit was really hard to work with." Pepper looked from the blackness back to Tony's face. "But it was still cool and even cooler is the one who made it." She kissed his lips and laced her hand in his.

"I think we both realized that is wasn't easy playing dress up as the other." Tony considered and kissed her once more. "But I have an even better bet for us to tackle."

"Oh, you do?" Pepper raised her head.

"Yeah, I think we'd get along even better if none of us were wearing any clothes, then nothing bad could happen." He moved on top of her and kissed along her neck.

"Mmm…only good things happen when we don't have any clothes on." She agreed and closed her eyes. "Maybe you're right…" She muttered and moved her head to the side, exposing more unkissed skin for him to claim. "Maybe it doesn't matter who wears the heels and who wears the suits and who does what…as long as we're together."

"And naked." Tony added with a laugh, his hot breath against her skin. Pepper laughed and pulled him up to her lips and kissed him deeply. And that was the best part of the bet for both of them, the resolution and solution to the issue of clothes, duties, expectations, and respect. And all it took was some insight, a step backward and a little trust. And since then, Tony made sure never to nag Pepper too much and she made sure to cut him some slack. And of course Pepper managed to get Tony to massage her feet every now and then if she washed his suit in a sexy suit of her own. And all while still holding the utmost respect for one another, but their relationship was of course, no one's business but their own. Heels, take out and everything else.


	4. Day 4

**A/n:** I've made my own Pepperony Month Challenge on tumblr and I've decided to share with everyone here. Each chapter will be based on a prompt for the day. Any prompt can be a long story, a poem, a drabble, whatever.

**Chapter Four:** All in a Year's Mission

**Day Four Prompt:** Birthday (Tony or Pepper's)

**Word Cont:** 698

**Rating:** G

It was the first year in which Tony Stark made a conscious effort to remember and celebrate Pepper Pott's birthday. And it wasn't the first birthday in which Pepper Potts expected to buy herself something nice on her boss, and now boyfriend's behalf. And yet JARVIS was told to track Pepper's activity and monitor anything which stood out to her when she went shopping. Perhaps Tony's approach could have been less Bond and more personal, but he somehow found reassurance in being sneaky when it came to finding her the perfect present. So much so that when Pepper would come down to check on him, he would quickly hide his work and newsfeed and insist he was just looking at some porn site, which Pepper knew was in face a lie. But she didn't press the matter and left him alone to do whatever it was that wasn't meant for her peering blue eyes.

The weeks leading up to said woman's birthday, Tony was still unsure of what gift would be right for her. Should he go with shoes or jewelry or was that too typical? Pepper's interests seemed geared toward shiny things, like most women. Did that mean he ought to get her a tool set or something? JARVIS advised that Tony should just stop being critical and worrying about the gift and just ask the woman what she wanted. Tony of course couldn't do things so simply and just stuck to spying on his woman. Before he knew it, however, it was the day before her birthday and he had still been unable to settle on one thing. There were some ideas he had from some of the stores he called, ones of which Pepper seemed to frequent the most. They had helped, but only so much.

Why was buying her something so hard?

Going to college was much easier than this...

Tony stayed up the whole night mulling over choices that when morning came, he was fast asleep in his lap when Pepper came down with two cupcakes. She set the items down on the table and shook Tony. He jerked his head up and looked to see Pepper lighting a cupcake with a candle in it. "That can't be right, that cupcake is missing quite a few..." But with the look he was given, he stopped and just smiled sleepily as stools were adjusted for them both to sit down on. "So happy birthday." He sighed, heart heavy with the guilt that with Pepper as his new woman, his only woman, he still couldn't get her something great for her birthday, after all she had done for him. "Listen, I wanted to get you something this year, I mean something I pick out but I just wasn't sure what you liked and after all this time I should be able to-"

Pepper stopped him and blew out her candle and looked back to the dark haired billionaire who stumbled with his words. "Tony," She began to say. "It's okay. I just want to spend time with you." The woman looked around the room and smiled. "This is a very good present I think." She unwrapped her chocolate cupcake and Tony followed suit. Tony leaned over and kissed her cheek as they ate their sweet treats, just enjoying one another's company.

"This time next year, I'll have something for you. I'm sure of it."

"I'm sure you will." She laughed softly. "You have all year to figure it out." Of course she could have suggested this or that but Pepper Potts knew that this was something Tony wanted and perhaps needed to do without her help. Just once, he could do something for her without her making a map or a list. And she had faith that they would still be together, if not even closer in a year's time and perhaps then he could get her something amazing. And it would be from his heart, without any help and she would love it no matter what. She looked over and saw a stack of James Bond DVDs and shook her head. Maybe he would still get a little help from a classic source. Maybe.


	5. Day 5

**A/n:** I've made my own Pepperony Month Challenge on tumblr and I've decided to share with everyone here. Each chapter will be based on a prompt for the day. Any prompt can be a long story, a poem, a drabble, whatever. Now this is really out of character. I didn't want to go the "expected" route for this prompt which made it hard to tackle and I'm tired so I'm kind of dogging it right now. So it really isn't what I want to post but it's something because I don't want to miss a day and I need to go to bed soon. And Rhodey is the only person I'd probably approve to get in on the Pepperony picture. -shrug-

**Chapter Five:** Learning to Share Sex and Secrets

**Day Five Prompt: **Love Triangle (Between any Tony, Pepper and anyone else)**  
**

**Word Cont: **565**  
**

**Rating:** PG

Because Tony is often consumed in himself, Pepper and Rhodey were left alone whenever they had to wait on him. And it was in these long moments together that Pepper and the darker skinned military man grew awfully fond of one another. At first they innocently talked about none other than their friend but soon it drifted to personal topics, their family, any loved ones they had in their life. And Pepper and Rhodey seemed to call these instances their dates, of sort. They enjoyed one another's company immensely and things slowly became personal, in the physical sense. Their first kiss was innocent, it was when Rhodey was dropping Pepper off at her place after Tony stood them up for a night out. Their second, Pepper and James were having a drink at a bar. And soon everything continued to escalate.

But there was more to them than just each other.

Rhodes knew of Pepper's feelings for Stark but what Pepper didn't know was that he too had feelings for his best friend. They were complicated and secretive, like hers. Yet his were more had to deal with because of obvious gender reasons. Like some, the male had some encounters with the same sex but his feelings regarding Tony were hard to deal with. Very hard. His family wouldn't understand, even he didn't understand. Finally he confessed to Pepper and she could only sort of understand and offer a sympathetic ear because she was in the same kind of sinking boat of falling for Tony Stark. So the couple continued to secretly date while also trying decipher their own feelings about a certain genius who had no idea how to handle such emotional conundrums.

Maybe Tony wasn't as dense as others thought though, because he knew Pepper and Rhodey had something going on and it was something that just begged to grab his attention. Yet Tony didn't do anything, not until Pepper marched over to him one morning and kissed him. And then another odd kiss happened later in the day, it eclipsed Pepper's sudden declaration of love…or lust. He was ordering a pizza and invited Rhodey who headed down to his lab and pulled him into a sudden kiss, near the same spot Pepper had. Tony knew something was up and quickly gather both players in the odd game and demanded an explanation to which Pepper feverishly explained like a teenage woman, "Well Rhodey and I, James." She paused to correct herself and smile toward said man. "We've been dating for a while but it was revealed we both also have feelings for you so we decided we needed to do something about it. And of course a kiss was the most blunt thing we came up with."

"It was Pepper's idea." Rhodes said quickly.

"Whichever one of us you liked better…would get you."

"Get me?" Tony repeated, as if suddenly insulted to be considered a desirable possession by someone.

"It was stupid." Rhodey said and made for the exit.

"Now wait wait wait." Tony held up his hands. "What…what would even happen if I couldn't pick? I mean why can't we…share?"

"You don't share." James and Pepper said at once.

"I could learn." Tony shrugged as they looked to their friend, obvious hero in any scenario.


	6. Day 6

**A/n:** I've made my own Pepperony Month Challenge on tumblr and I've decided to share with everyone here. Each chapter will be based on a prompt for the day. Any prompt can be a long story, a poem, a drabble, whatever. I'm much happier with this than I was with my last one, for the record. I do enjoy writing about the Christmas season and this can be assumed to be read before Avengers but it doesn't matter too much. Enjoy please.

**Chapter Six:** December's Decision: Peppermint Kisses and Mistletoe

**Day Six Prompt:** Christmas

**Word Cont:** 1895

**Rating:** PG

It's Christmas time in the city but you wouldn't know that because there's no snow and it's almost eighty degrees outside. This isn't the time to done Santa Hats and candy cane colored leggings. No, this is the time for swim suits and cool cocktails in the sun. And yet it's still Christmas Eve, children are still restless in their beds, waiting for jolly Saint Nick to swoop in and deliver them goodies and gadgets galore under their heavily decorated tree. Speaking of gadgets, a certain boy isn't asleep, instead he is down below his home, building his own. Tony Stark doesn't believe in Santa Claus nor probably caved into that lie as a child. As such, it doesn't even register that it's the holiday. That's no surprise as Pepper has to remind Tony to eat, let alone to acknowledge days like Thanksgiving or Christmas and this year is no different.

She heads down to his workshop to see him steadily working on some wires for his latest Iron Man Suit. Pepper smiles and waltzes over with a small box in hand. It's wrapped in a shiny deep forest green paper with a silver ribbon and bow of small size. Pepper sets it down beside Tony and this causes him to look up, suddenly noticing Pepper and the gorgeous green dress she has on. He overlooks the matching present she had presented him with. Her dress is shorter than usual, it reaches right above her knee. It's slim fitted and has a cute sweat heart neckline. The dress has a line of green gems around the edges and could possibly be considered a Christmas present to herself in the name of Tony Stark. But it's not. It's just a simple new dress she bought for herself with her own funding.

"Merry Christmas." Pepper begins to say and lights go off inside Tony's calculating head.

"It's Christmas…" He begins to realize.

"Yes it is." Pepper smiled. "Well tomorrow but tonight I thought I would stop by and give you this." She patted the box and Tony looked at it and his face showed a flurry of emotions. Shock that it was a holiday, humble happiness that she thought of him, and then sheer guilt because he hadn't gotten her anything. She notices the conflict and shakes her head. "You don't have to worry about getting me anything, the gift didn't cost much at all, I kind of made it myself." And this surprises Stark. For one thing, Pepper doesn't work well with her hands and doesn't have the patience nor time to sit around with a glue gun. And she also doesn't do a lot of crafty things so Tony is very intrigued as to what she could have done and now he must open it. Before he gets his hands on the green box, she slaps his hand. "No, not till tomorrow."

And like a child who hates waiting to open gifts, he lets out a whine and pouts because Tony Stark hates not getting what he wants when he wants it. "Well fine." Tony manages to say, wiping the guilt from his face and replacing it with a smug expression. His most frequently worn mask in public. "Since you and the gift so cutely match, can I unwrap you Ms. Potts?" Tony purrs and steps closer to his personal assistant. Pepper smirks and shakes her head and instead grabs his hand and pulls him toward the stairs away from his work.

"How about dinner out instead?" Pepper negotiates and Tony would be a fool to suggest otherwise so he agrees and the two head off in her car toward a nice little French place that Pepper seemed to make reservations at. It's late in the evening and the dinner is still slow, they take their time and talk. Little about work, mostly about the season and what it means to them. Tony confesses that he does sometimes remember, forgetting to forget. He hates Christmas because it wasn't celebrated much as a child. And Pepper expresses her solemn view toward it as well because it reminds her of the family she never has time to see and the guilt makes her just want to drink as bad as Tony does. And with all the memories of family history floating around, the pair leave without any dessert and head back to his place for a drink of their own.

In order to celebrate the Christmas spirit, Pepper and Tony make hot chocolate with peppermint schnaps. They then decide that their family history isn't something to go on and on about so they change gears and settle on the black leather couch in front of the fire place by the piano, right by where Obadiah Stane removed Tony's arc reactor. Since then no one else has touched it. Not even Pepper. Though it's hot outside, the pair intentionally turned the air conditioning on so it would feel more like a real winter evening. Pepper leaned against Tony who's arm was wrapped around her. For a while they sit in comfortable silence when Tony opens his mouth to pry a little. "Is there a reason why you pick me? I mean, surely you have other men you could pick from to share such a romantic evening with." Tony has to pry. He has to. And Pepper hesitates to inform Tony that the night is not romantic, contrary to his opinion but instead she's quiet and stares at the fire which almost matches her hair. Tony isn't sure how he feels about the answer of silence.

Instead he tilts his head up and see dummy has placed mistletoe above their heads. How strategic. How lovely. And how useful. Pepper notices Tony and follows his eye to where the mistletoe sits and she looks to him and he finally looks to her. At first she is very dubious about following through with the holiday rules but at the same time, the pull to do so isn't too strong and a push from her boss would be much stronger to follow through with rather than her leaping off the couch and spurting out an excuse to go home. Tony can see it in her eyes, the slight pang of curiosity, loneliness even. And he slightly pulls his head back, wondering if she'd settle for anyone, and he's it. He suddenly feels like a last resort, as if she could be with anyone but she's stuck with him day and night and because of that she doesn't know anyone else.

Doesn't know how good she could have it.

Pepper sees Tony's own ambivalence and it amplifies her own and makes her worry as well.

Is she not good enough for him? Is that it?

Does he not find her attractive despite the flirting they do on a daily basis?

She lowers her head, her heart subsequently shattering as she realizes he has no interest in her. Here's his chance to make a move and instead he moves backward away from her. It must be the dress. It must be the hair. It must be her and Pepper feels silly. The company tonight was a gift enough and she doesn't want anymore charity from Tony Stark and stumbles to stand up. After all, they had about three cups of heavily spiked chocolate. But that's not really the reason, it's because Pepper didn't get what she wanted, not what she expected and she manages to get to her feet before Tony reacts finally and grabs her arm. "What is it?" He asks her, unsure of why she has to go. He doesn't get it. For someone who's good with women, he doesn't get it.

Now she doesn't want it.

Who was she kidding?

"I have to go." Pepper tells him, you can almost heard her wounded heart cry out.

He stands up and pulls her toward him and looks into her eyes and sees nothing but a blizzard of confusion and hurt and he realizes he caused it by reacting, by pulling away from her at the notion of a kiss. "What is it, Pepper?" He asks her softly, both hands holding onto her arms. It's an unromantic situation now. It's stiff and awkward but Tony doesn't want her to go. "I don't want to be alone now." He says quietly. He doesn't have company around Christmas very often and now that he has it, he has come to like it and he won't let it slip back through the cracks. It's Pepper! "Don't let me go down to work alone tonight." He begs softly. "What do you want?" He asks her.

"I want a kiss." Pepper replies, her voice is quiet, childlike, almost on the verge tears. Before Tony can ask again, he just leans in and kisses her. When their lips meet it's slow but melting. The chocolate and peppermint mix well together. Tony isn't forward at all, he's very giving as his hands slid up her arms around curl around her, bringing her into his body. Pepper closes her eyes and kisses a bit deeper, intent on tasting Tony himself and not just their shared beverage. And when they part, they look into one another eyes and know it wasn't just a kiss induced by a silly green ornament. It was a lot more. It wasn't because they were lonely or selfish or had nothing left, nowhere else to go to, it was because they wanted one another. Even when they already had one another, they still wanted one another.

It was simple as that.

And Tony plops back down on the couch and lays down and Pepper curls up with him on the couch. A blanket it wrapped around them as they drift off to sleep for the night. Morning came and Pepper was the first to rise, she knew breakfast couldn't be ordered on Christmas morning so she made some toast and Tony got up to attempt to make omelets. They didn't kiss just yet. They ate their breakfast and soon headed down to get Tony's present which he could now open. "I didn't get you anything." He echoed his sadness to Pepper as he unwrapped the gift she had thoughtfully made for him.

"It's okay. I loved last night, that'll be my gift." She assured him.

When Tony unwraps the gift he sees it's a photograph taken of him and Pepper when they were first staring work together. Engraved on the shiny silver frame is a small note. "Best Decision of our Lives." He said and cannot do anything but smile and agree. It was the best choice, she was the best choice. Tony pulls her to him and that is when their lips lock. His arms hold her to him and she hugs him tightly and for once it feels like they're home for the holidays. No plane tickets necessary, just a kiss of peppermint. And of course each other.


	7. Day 7

**A/n:** I've made my own Pepperony Month Challenge on tumblr and I've decided to share with everyone here. Each chapter will be based on a prompt for the day. Any prompt can be a long story, a poem, a drabble, whatever.

**Chapter Seven:** Selfish Saviors

**Day Seven Prompt:** Saving the Day (Either Pepper or Tony saving the other)

**Word Cont:** 1049

**Rating:** G

It took a lot of convincing for Tony to allow Pepper to stay behind and help defend Stark Tower during the war with Loki and the other aliens. Natasha helped Pepper pick up on shooting skills and the two seemed rather formidable together. Pepper was confident in her skills and eager to get to the battleground but Tony on the other hand was quite uneasy with the prospect of his woman being put in such danger. And the likelihood was that he wouldn't be around her to really defend, should she need it. That was of course his biggest concern. But of course he needed to let Pepper out of her cage, off her leash, whatever you'd like to call it.

In the corner of his screen JARVIS made sure Pepper was always on site thanks to a small camera he made to keep an eye on Pepper during the battle. It hadn't been tested yet but Tony was sure it would be fine. And so the battle began and everything was spinning out of control fast, monsters were moving around like fantastical serpents and Iron Man was doing his best to beat them down while also making sure Pepper was unharmed. The redhead in question was doing fine, hiding and shooting whenever she had the chance. A few times she ran into Black Widow or Captain America who assisted her but she was holding her own much to everyone's surprise. Even her own.

Sure, she didn't love fighting but she felt like she had to. And she wanted to. Stark Tower and the world, her life was bigger now and she had to adjust accordingly. No longer would she sit in the back and let Tony keep saving the day. She was going to be right beside him and help. As a few alien foes sprang behind her, Iron Man appeared and took them out and wagged a finger at them. "Nu uh, no one's gonna lay a finger on my Pepper." He said and turned to Pepper who was hastily reloading her gun. "Are you alright?" Tony asked her as he removed his helmet and flew down to her. Pepper got up from where she had been crouching behind a flipped over police car.

"Yeah I'm-" She stopped herself when she saw two more bad guys taking aim at Tony, whose defenses were down. Pepper turned and fired two shots at them and Tony turned and did the same with his blasters and then looked back to Pepper who had a smug look on her face. "I'm just fine here, Iron Man. I think the city needs you." She smiled.

"I need you to stay safe." Tony put his helmet back on and looked to her, hesitating.

"I will be, now go get em boss." Pepper said and winked. He felt off and the battle was resumed. When the missile was launched, Pepper was on the phone with Tony, begging him to not do anything, begging him to think of her. But then the phone line cut off and he fell from the sky. Hulk caught him and she ran over to where he was and that was that. The battle was over, the city was a mess but they were all alive. Pepper helped Tony to the hospital where he was patched up and they went out for dinner, at Tony's suggestion of course. At the end of the night, Pepper and Tony managed to find a hotel room to stay at and ordered some coffee as Pepper had work to do considering all the damage she had to clean up. Tony was in bed watching her as she sat at the desk.

"Hey Pep." Tony said. Since his hero stunt, she had been pretty cold to him. "Is everything okay? I mean it should be…it worked out."

"Yeah for you." She snapped, not looking at him.

"What do you mean?"

"You got to be the big hero again, good for you. I hate you for it." Pepper muttered and set her PDA down and turned to face him. "Do you know how selfish you were? Do you know what you did when you went up like that? With no chance of coming back? How could you be so reckless? You were selfish Tony Stark, so selfish." She frowned. Before he could question her, she carried on. "I could have lost you today. I did for a moment." She walked over toward him. "If you were really thinking about me you wouldn't have left me alone, you would have wanted to die with me instead of letting me live alone." Pepper sat on his bed and took his hand. "I don't want to be left alone with this company, "Can't you see I'd rather die, rather face the end of the world with you…than live a long life crying tears for someone who's selfish?" She was now crying again at this point, letting go of all of the tears she held back around the other Avengers.

"I'm sorry." Tony pulled her into his arms carefully because he was still badly bruised. "I was thinking of you, I was thinking of everyone else too but I guess you have a right to be selfish, Pep." He understood her and held her against him. "You were the last person I wanted to see, wanted to talk to. I was happy to face death if I had you…so I understand why you don't approve of what I did and I promise the next time a missile is headed for NYC, I won't touch it without your permission." He kissed her and they shared a smile. The door opened to reveal a man bringing the coffee Pepper had ordered a while ago. "Thanks." Tony waved him off and handed a shot of espresso to his woman and took the other. "To us, to you saving me." He said.

"To us, to you almost dying and to me saving your ass, finally." She tapped glasses with him and they downed their liquid gold and snuggled in bed for some sleep that they both deserved after a long long weekend of sorts.


	8. Day 8

**A/n:** I've made my own Pepperony Month Challenge on tumblr and I've decided to share with everyone here. Each chapter will be based on a prompt for the day. Any prompt can be a long story, a poem, a drabble, whatever.

**Chapter Eight:** Tears for a Long Lost Boss

**Day Eight Prompt:** A Missing Scene from Iron Man 1

**Word Cont:** 344

**Rating:** G

He had been missing for so long, she lost count of the days.

Well that wasn't true.

But still, it had been such a long time. Sometimes she would wake up early and hurry up to his mansion with coffee before stopping on the side of the road to cry, remembering he wouldn't be there. Some random girl wouldn't be there. That his house would be empty upon her arrival and JARVIS would have to console her while she tried to hold the company together on her own. Tony Stark was gone, he had been kidnapped, gone missing. No one really knew and it was tearing her apart.

She didn't know how much she'd miss the guy till he was taken right under her nose.

Pepper missed his laugh, his smirk, the smell of him working on a greasy car engine, she missed watching his hands work or sign papers and she missed his face. Pictures of him caught by sneaky paparazzi weren't the same. Nothing would be the same until she had him back in her life. So Pepper sat in her room every night before bed and stared at her cell phone, waiting to be summoned. Would it be Tony calling? Saying his joke on her and the world had gone on long enough, that he was hiding on some private island, enjoying himself while her heart was slowly being ripped to shreds? Or would the call be Rhodey with the worst news of all? That his body had been found, that he was dead.

And those were the thoughts the PA had as her trembling fingers moved over her cell phone every dark night that passed until she got the best call of all. But for now, the redhead slid into bed and turned off her light. Even in the dark though, her eyes still fixated on her phone, waiting and trying to hold back tears for her long lost boss.

Yes, she hated job hunting.

But she hated losing, missing, Tony Stark even more.


	9. Day 9

**A/n:** I've made my own Pepperony Month Challenge on tumblr and I've decided to share with everyone here. Each chapter will be based on a prompt for the day. Any prompt can be a long story, a poem, a drabble, whatever.

**Chapter Nine:** Birthday Black and Blues

**Day Nine Prompt:** A Missing Scene from Iron Man 2

**Word Cont:** 488

**Rating:** PG

After Rhodey had put a stop to the party and everyone cleared out, Pepper was called by a drunk and lonely Tony who had been left in the ruins of the main part of his home. Happy and Natalie had gone off to take care of the mess while Tony stayed in his suit and sat in the rubble until Pepper finally arrived to see the result of Tony's idea of having fun. After he had tried to kiss her and then beat up his best friend, she headed home because it was too painful to watch, not to mention him with that woman. Sure, she had seen Tony with others before but something was different, stirring inside of her.

She walked over to Tony who was chugging down the last remains of a bottle of Jack Daniels. "Tony, get up and get out of that suit." Pepper ordered, she was done playing around, done playing nice. "And stop drinking, now!" She huffed and Tony looked to her and tossed the bottle over her head and she flinched. "Tony!" He looked up to her and soon dislodged himself from his damaged suit.

"Party's over, Pep." He slurred and struggled to get to his feet. Tony stumbled a bit and licked his lips. "Maybe the after party can be just us two." He threw a sloppy smirk and stumbled forward and pushed his hands on her shoulders for support. "You're so damn pretty you know that right?" He burped a little and laughed. "I'm a little sick but that uh…has nothing….nothing to do with you being so fucking pretty." He told her. Pepper took his hands and removed him from her and pulled him down to the safest most secure place which was his workshop. "Ooooh alone time eh? Party over here." He grinned as they made it downstairs and into the fortress of metal and glass.

"Tony you can't do this, not anymore." She whipped around to him which made him a bit dizzy. "I can't deal with these mood swings of yours." Pepper was near a breakdown after the night that had just taken place. What about him? "You're killing me." She begged him.

"I'm killing me." Tony blurted out.

"What…?" Pepper stared at him. Tony leaned back and sobered up slightly at his drunken confession.

"Forget it Pep, just go home." Tony muttered and looked off, he felt the urge to throw up and Pepper put her head in her hands and wasn't sure what to do. It was late and she saw nothing good happening if she stayed so she just headed up the stairs. "Goodbye Pepper." He sighed as she vanished. Little did he know that he'd soon have a run in with Nick Fury and soon enough also find a cure while getting Pepper back where she belonged, in his arms.


End file.
